After improvement in situation, focus back on militants in Kashmir: DGP

Asserting that following improvement in situation in the valley post abrogation of special status of the state, the focus is back on militants, Director General of Police (DGP) Dilbagh Singh on Wednesday said security forces have once again initiated operations against ultras.

The DGP said all security arrangements have been made for smooth and peaceful conduction of Block Development Council (BDC) election in the state on Thursday.

‘Some innocent people were killed by militants in Pulwama and Shopian, including a labourer and a trader from outside the state. The incidents were severely criticised by Kashmiri people. Security was enhanced in south Kashmir and the focus, which was given to law and order, is back on militants after improvement in the situation,’ Mr Singh told reporters during a press conference here on Wednesday.

He said security forces have once again initiated operations against militants. ‘Since reinitiating operations against militants, three ultras were killed in Anantnag, three more were killed in Pulwama on Tuesday,’ he said.

Appealing to youth to shun the path of violence and join mainstream, the DGP said authorities will provide every possible support to them for rehabilitation. ‘Pakistan is brainwashing youth to taking up arms in Kashmir. Gun only brings death… If we want to save the future, the youth have to shun the path of violence and join mainstream,’ he said.

Answering a question whether postpaid and landlines phones service will again be suspended in the state before October 31, he said there were no such directions so of now.

Singh said that the situation is normal in north Kashmir with heavy movement of traffic on the roads and setting up of stalls on roads sides by vendors. ‘Hopefully normalcy is also restored in south and central Kashmir,’ he said.

The DGP said that Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM) was coordinating with all militant groups active in the valley at the behest of Pakistan, which is trying to push ultras into the valley on regular basis. ‘Pakistan is violating ceasefire on regular basis to facilitate infiltration of militants into this side of Line of Control (LoC),’ he said.

Mr Singh said that some militants have managed to infiltrate into this side though majority of the attempts were foiled by alert troops deployed at the LoC, including in Gurez, Keran, Tanghdar sectors in north Kashmir.

However, the DGP said that the number of militants, who have managed to infiltrate into this side, is not that much.

He said launch-pads along the LoC in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (POK) are packed with militants. ‘Pakistan and ISI are trying to push as many militant as possible before the routes close for winter months (due to heavy snowfall),’ he added. (UNI)